Spring herbs for cleansing and immunity

Every spring the nature miraculously transforms into one big living pharmacy. For me, the change is quite overwhelming. The growing and blooming flowers and trees with their healing power become an endless source of remedies for us, people. The nature is more than generous in its offering and it is up to us to make the most of it. Perhaps, because it is such a simple and obvious thing, we stoped taking it seriously. Unlike the thousands of generations before us for whom knowledge about nature was essential to their survival.

Our ancestors also knew that following the liturgical year is important for one’s health, not only spiritual but also physical. (Although one can argue that these two are very tightly connected.) Now, during the lent period before Easter,  through the fasting, we should cleanse our body and boost the immunity after the winter. There are plenty of plants out there to help us, we can simply pick them up on our walks and use them in teas, for cooking and seasoning food or even make syrups, ointments or tincture from them (if we feel adventures enough to try).

 

 

 

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Nettle

Nettle is one the most beneficial weeds. It is hot by nature and a broad spectrum healer.

You have probably heard people saying that getting stung by a nettle decreases the risk of getting rheumatism. There is more truth to it then you might think because nettles reduce inflammation. It also reduces allergic reactions such as hay-fever.

Nettle cleans the blood, lowers blood pressure and level of blood sugar and contains many important nutrients, such as vitamin A and C, Beta-carotene or iron and phosphorus.

Nettle can be used in teas, in stuffings, quiche, salads or sautéed like spinach. You cannot consume it fresh but the harshness disappears if you pour hot water over it. Nettle should not be picked up once it grows old and have flowers because it develops nitrogenous substances that are harmful for us.

Other plants and also animals can benefit from nettles. Nettle infusion can be used as a natural fertiliser.

I spent my childhood at my Grandparents’s farm. The chickens there were enjoying a special privilege, running freely in the gardens and getting a very good care from my Grandmother. She would often ask me to cut young nettles for them. She gave me a reaping hook, thick gloves and a basket and fully equipped, I would take off to complete the important mission either to the pond or behind the orchard, places known for being overgrown with fresh young nettles. My Grandmother would then cut the nettles in little pieces and feed them chickens because  they would lay more and better eggs.

Tip: Make a nettle infusion for your hair, it will make it stronger, healthier and shiny.

 

Dandelion

 

I love when dandelions turn the grass yellow. It is as if thousands of little suns appeared suddenly and announced that spring is finally and irreversibly here. Dandelion is another super food plant. It is an antioxidant that boosts our immune system, kills cancer cells, supports healthy digestion and healthy bones and if you put the flower on acne, it heals it while leaving the skin moister.

Sometimes, helping yourselves with natural stuff is so much easier, more accessible and beneficial than choosing expensive treatment from pharmacies!

You can use dandelion leaves in salads, soups, flowers in teas or you can make dandelion honey that is also high in vitamin C.

Recipe for dandelion honey:

• about 300 dandelion flowers
• 1 bio lemon and 1 bio orange
• 1 kg brown sugar
• 1 l water

Wash the dandelion flowers under running water to get rid of bugs and dirt. Put them in a pot, add lemon and orange skin and juice, water and cook it for 10 minutes until the water becomes brown.

Let it cool down and leave it over night in a cool and dark place.

In the morning, drain it, add the sugar and cook it for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Then divide it in clean jars, close the jars and put them upsite down until the honey cools down.

 

Deaf nettle

 

Hildegard believes that: “Deaf nettle is hot, and a person who eats it smiles with pleasure, since its heat touches his spleen and thence his heart is made happy.”

Deaf nettle is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It has similar affects as common yarrow . Externally helps to treat wounds and internally balances female hormone. It can be used in teas, salads, soups.

 

Bear garlic

Bear garlic is a leafy plant that covers large spaces in deciduous tree forests in the spring. Apparently bears look for it after the hibernation (that’s where the name comes from) in order to get strong and boosts their immunity. It has a very garlicky smell that prevents one from mistaking it for similar Lilly of the valley leaves that are poisonous. It has the power to clean our body even from cumulated heavy metals that we absorb from polluted air or by consuming food that grows in soil that contains heavy metals. Bear garlic leaves should be picked up before the plant starts blooming (then it loses its power) and can be used in salad or soups. You can also simply cut it on you bread and butter snack or even make a pesto from it.

 

Daisy

We can find these tiny white flowers in the grass throughout the whole year except winter. Daisy is a strong antioxidant that cleans the blood and strengthens our immunity. It improves quality of our hair, skin and nails and treats cough.

It can be added to salads, soups or teas.